The 1859 Cape May Lighthouse is a fully restored historic site managed by the non-profit Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities. Located at Cape May Point State Park, it offers visitors the chance to climb 199 steps to the top for a breathtaking and scenic view of the Atlantic Ocean, Delaware Bay, and Cape May. The stairs are wide and feature several stops where climbers can rest, look out the windows, and catch their breath. The top platform is caged for safety, though it can be very windy. The original Oil House is accessible and now houses a Museum Shop and accessible displays. The lighthouse is open daily from April through November and on weekends in the shoulder seasons. Special events like evening trolley tours, Full Moon Climbs, and a "stairway to the stars" at night are offered in the summer. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children and veterans, with free entry for active military. Tickets are available at the lighthouse, online, or by phone. The site has plenty of parking and volunteers are noted as being nice. The surrounding area provides a great quiet beach to chill for the day, with many paths for walking and bird watching. The beach, which is not the soft sand found elsewhere on the Jersey Shore, is ideal for a picnic, especially in the off-season. Nearby are also the remains of a WWII bunker. The location adds to the charm of the Cape May beach area, which features miles of beaches, a large boardwalk, and plenty of restaurants, making for a great vacation spot.
